How do bed fleas or lice look? - briefly
Bed fleas are tiny, dark‑brown, wingless insects about 1–2 mm long, laterally flattened, with long hind legs adapted for jumping. Lice are elongated, 2–4 mm in length, gray‑brown, wingless, with six short legs ending in clawed tarsi for clinging to hair or feathers.
How do bed fleas or lice look? - in detail
Bed‑dwelling fleas are tiny, laterally flattened insects measuring 1.5–3 mm in length. Their bodies are dark reddish‑brown, often appearing lighter after a blood meal. Six jointed legs end in tiny claws adapted for gripping fabric fibers. Antennae consist of 8–10 segments, each bearing fine sensory hairs. Eyes are compound, typically dark and difficult to discern without magnification. The abdomen is segmented, expanding noticeably when engorged with blood, giving the insect a swollen appearance.
Head lice are obligate parasites of the human scalp, ranging from 2.5–4 mm in size. The head is broader than the thorax, forming a dome‑shaped silhouette. Color varies from gray‑white to brown, darkening after feeding. Six legs are relatively short, each equipped with clawed tarsi that cling to hair shafts. Antennae are short, composed of 5–6 segments, and are largely concealed beneath the head. Eyes are small, dark, and positioned laterally. The abdomen consists of seven visible segments; the last segment often bears a small, pointed urogomph. When engorged, the body becomes noticeably fuller, and the overall hue may shift toward a deeper brown.
Key visual distinctions:
- Size: fleas 1.5–3 mm, lice 2.5–4 mm.
- Body shape: fleas laterally flattened, lice dome‑shaped.
- Color change: both darken after feeding, fleas appear more reddish, lice turn brown.
- Legs: fleas have longer, more robust legs for jumping; lice possess shorter legs for clinging to hair.
- Antennae: fleas longer, segmented; lice short, less visible.
Recognition of these characteristics enables accurate identification of each parasite in infested bedding or on the scalp.